


This Is It

by speedgriffon



Series: Fallout 4: Madelyn Hardy Fics [3]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Minor Game Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-16
Updated: 2015-12-16
Packaged: 2018-05-07 01:02:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5437652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/speedgriffon/pseuds/speedgriffon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Have you ever heard of couples having a song? It was somewhat of a craze before the war.”</p><p>“I’m not familiar with that.” Danse admitted. Madelyn nibbled on her bottom lip for a few moments and glanced away. He wasn’t sure if he had ever seen her so nervous before. Danse tried to think about what she could mean. “Do you want us to have a song?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Is It

**Author's Note:**

> I keep getting slow dancing prompts! I've answered one before in my prompt collection but I like this one much better. I wanted to write this; since I've always used 'Orange Colored Sky' as Mads and Danse's song.

“Just ask her already.”

Piper’s voice pulled Danse out of the slight trance he didn’t realize he had been in. How long had he been standing there at the edge of the Sanctuary courtyard just  _staring_? He shook his head, awkwardly clearing his throat as he tried to turn away from the chipper reporter.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Piper puffed out a breath of air as she rolled her eyes. She nodded her in the direction of where he had been staring at before. Madelyn was with several of her other companions, laughing at some story MacCready was telling. Others were dancing to the swing song on the radio and after several moments of coaxing she was able to get Nick on his feet for a ‘proper pre-war dance demonstration’.

There was no special reason for the revelry but the night was quiet and the weather was warm—all the more reason for the settlement to take time to relax and find some much needed joy. Danse stood back away from the crowd, however, still unsure if he really belonged. Madelyn and him may have developed a more  _intimate_ relationship but that didn’t mean he was ready to be close to others—not this soon at least.

“I  _mean_.” Piper’s voice pulled him from his thoughts again. “Ask her to dance! You’ve been watching her long enough.”

Danse shook his head again, hating the fact that everybody in Sanctuary seemed to know about  _them_. Madelyn and him hadn’t been in town for more than a few hours before rumors began to circulate. Though, if he was constantly caught staring at her…he wasn’t surprised somebody hadn’t caught on earlier.

As one song ended and another softer one began, Danse saw his chance and approached Madelyn, ignoring Piper’s low whistle. Madelyn had moved away from the group, leaning against the nearby table for a breather as the others continued to dance. He cleared his throat, catching her attention and felt an awkward smile tug at his lips. Madelyn turned to him and he offered his hand to her.

“May I have the next dance?” He let his smile grow wider, excitement fluttering in his chest at the thought of doing so before all her friends. Madelyn would enjoy teasing for it—

“Maybe later.” Madelyn replied, adding an apologetic smile when his expression faltered.

Maybe he had been too hopeful that she’d automatically say yes. Then again, why shouldn’t he? He was under the impression that they were  _together_ —in love and happy. Had he done something wrong? Danse wasn’t sure how to reply and stood awkwardly for a moment before turning away with a frown.

Madelyn’s hand hooked into his elbow, stopping him at the last moment. He glanced at her over his shoulder and paused in his steps when he noted the twinge of sadness in her eyes. “I meant until another song comes on.” She explained. “Sorry—it’s just that this one…”

Danse nodded, stopping her from saying any more when she trailed off. She didn’t need to explain. He tried a small smile again. “But you’ll dance with me?”

“Of course.” Madelyn answered.

Her expression warmed the longer she looked at him, her hand slipping down his arm until she was holding his hand. He was still somewhat anxious about putting their affection on display like this but as long as he was staring into her eyes, the rest of the world didn’t matter.

“This is going to sound really corny—”

“You? Corny?” Danse teased, grinning at the way her cheeks flushed with color. “ _Never_.”

Madelyn used her free hand to playfully push at his shoulder—a teasing gesture he loved. He covered her hand with his, brushing his thumb across her knuckles while squeezing the other.

She regarded him with the tiniest flicker of apprehension. “Have you ever heard of couples having a song? It was somewhat of a craze before the war.”

“I’m not familiar with that.” Danse admitted. Madelyn nibbled on her bottom lip for a few moments and glanced away. He wasn’t sure if he had ever seen her so nervous before. Danse tried to think about what she could mean. “Do you want  _us_  to have a song?”

If Madelyn’s cheeks weren’t red before they certainly were now. She stared at him with widened eyes, obviously alarmed by his question but slowly nodded once. The radio wasn’t playing music as Travis the DJ talked, but Madelyn still silently encouraged Danse to lead her to the small space where others had been dancing.

Danse moved one of his hands to her waist, keeping some distance between them as he stepped backwards, ignoring the way the others glanced at them. Madelyn only seemed to revel in the attention—she was glowing, eyes sparkling beneath he strung up lights. He raised their linked hands and she laced their fingers together before placing her other hand on his shoulder.

He raised a curious eyebrow. “What song were you thinking about?” He asked. Danse wasn’t sure how the process worked. “Do we choose one?”

“ _No_!” Madelyn laughed and Danse felt his body warm over at the sound. He never grow tired of hearing her laugh, of seeing her smile. “We don’t  _pick_ a song…the song…” Her eyes lit up as she scanned over his face, taking a step closer towards him. “Picks  _us_.”

Danse still didn’t quite understand. And then the radio started to play a familiar song.

_I was walking along, minding my business when out of an orange colored sky…_

“This song is always playing when we’re together.” Danse commented.

At first he felt silly for making the comment—there were a limited amount of songs that played on the radio but it had to be more than coincidence that every time they passed by a radio or each time she turned her Pip-Boy on it was playing. He was sure he knew this song better than any other he had ever heard. Madelyn grinned, humming along to the tune under her breath.

 _Flash, bam, alakazam_.

“I got a look at you.” She sang with a soft giggle. “It is, isn’t it?”

 

Danse led them into a slow sway. It was off tempo from the song but Madelyn didn’t seem to care—all her focus was on him as they moved. Even though he had heard the song hundreds of times by that point in that moment it was like he was hearing the lyrics for the first time with a new kind of clarity. He had heard that things tasted, felt and sounded differently when in love but until then he hadn’t believed it. Love had come upon him as suddenly as the song described and just like that everything she had said before made sense.

_I’ve been hit, this is it, this is it—this is it!_

“This is it.” Danse repeated, catching Madelyn’s attention. He tugged her closer, their faces mere inches apart as he stared deep into her eyes. The rest of the world faded away. “Our song.”

“I think so, yes.” She responded with a smirk before tilting her chin up and closing her eyes.

He kissed her without hesitation, pouring whatever heart and soul his body had to give into the action. When he pulled away the song was just ending but he knew he’d hear it anytime he looked at Madelyn.  _Their song_.

_Wow I thought love was much softer than that—for the most disturbing sound…_


End file.
